Particular Words in a Specific Order

body of restless worms
illness in the thin membranes I push against
a thousand of me and none who speak
                                                   none who speak to another

I writhe in the middle
a fool fighting the vessel that carries me
released from my vow alongside my body
                                                                            my body as a rotten shame on the rest

little left in this slug but unwelcome defiance
sightlessly clawing at the soft walls
it is a loud excuse to silently destroy the self
                                                                  destroy the self with virulence

if there is hope left, it is metallic vapor
ripe to be inhaled and lodged in the lung
like sugar, it sweetens each day at the cost of a few
                                                                                                   of a few you had forgotten

I am certain this struggle did not begin with me
nor will I be of the final breach
yet the body will feel me and my conviction
                                                                   my conviction will scour the world of cruelty
not upon its arrival but through each infected word
that fosters in our violent souls
a hazy dream of due rest

2025